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Left Handed aka Destro Watches: A Personal Intro

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So, someone mentioned that they wanted to learn about left handed watches. For me this means the crown being on the left hand side of the watch. Such watches are often called destro, Italian for right because it was meant to be worn on the right wrist. I've been a destro watch enthusiast for pretty much as long as I've been watch enthusiast. I do a lot of typing for my job in software and I hate the crown digging into my hand. The crown digging into my hand is hundreds of times a day, the manipulation of the crown is once a week (if that); as a good software engineer, I optimize for the common case. With my right hand being used for my trackpad/mouse, I like to keep my right wrist free. This means I like my watch on my left hand and the crown away from the traditional 3 o'clock position.
Now, although the market for destro watches has grown a bit in the last few years, they are still a largely outnumbered minority in the watch world. A few watch manufacturers make dedicated destro watches because sane people like their crowns on the correct side of the watch. Sinn is one of the manufacturers with the most models of this kind. Here are a couple of examples:
In my opinion, this first is one of the great watch designs, the incomparable EZM1, four hand chronograph (long discontinued):
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This is a close relative of the EZM1, the EZM3, still made by Sinn:
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Panerai has a couple of standard destro watches in their stable in addition to their "special editions", U-Boat (being practically u-boat sized) has many, Bell & Ross has made a few. I know I've seen an Oris special edition recently. I have seen a couple of vintage destro Omega SHOM's and of course they make the incomparable PloProf. There supposedly exists a couple destro COMEX Sea Dwellers out there, but now you're talking six figure watches.
Fortunately, the most common mechanical movement family the ETA 2824, 2836, and 2892 all have their dial pins (pins which stick out the back of the dial to hold the dial in place on the movement) positioned symmetrically around the center post. What does that mean? It means that you can rotate the dial on any ETA 28XX based watch 180 degrees, realign the hands, and Bob's your uncle, you have a destro watch. Hurray! Most small manufacturers have been open to doing this conversion for me out of the factory.
This is a boutique watch made by MKII Watches, called the Kingston. It is a homage to the Submariner worn by Sean Connery in the early James Bond movies. It was assembled in the destro configuration by MKII Watches at my request:
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So we're all done, right? Well, except for that pesky date wheel. Because date wheels have 31 days, when you do this rotation, your dates will not line up with your date window. Gahr! Unfortunately, destro date wheels are not that common and most manufacturers do not keep them in stock. This means the easy conversion is only for date-free watches.
I was lucky enough to source a couple of watch dials made for the ETA 28XX movements (they all share the same date wheel, fortunately) with 9 o'clock crown and 3 o'clock date window. I've had a couple watches converted to use these date wheels.
IWC 3536 Ti. Truly a watch ahead of its time: titanium, 2000m (yes that's 2km) depth rating, large size (for its time, although it practically looks svelt compared to the monsters which are popular nowadays), all-metal captive bezel:
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Omega 2538.20 aka. the Great White
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Unfortunately, as far as I've been able to research, the increasingly popular Miyota 9015 movements' dial feet are not symmetrical. Boo! This means that to do a destro conversion you will need to either move the existing dial feet or have a destro dial made up, in addition to the bother of finding a destro date wheel. Actually, if you are making a destro dial from scratch, you could shift the date window over and use a slightly offset date window. I believe that Sinn uses this date window shifting method for their 28XX based destro watches.
The somewhat more expensive but also popular Soprod A10 movement, being a clone of the 2892 movement, does have symmetrical dial feet allowing for relatively easier destro conversion.
I haven't done much research on quartz movements, but given the paucity of boutique quartz watches to begin with, I suspect that you'd have to get both a modified dial and/or date wheel to do any destro conversion.
Hmm, parting thoughts: How difficult would it be to commission a run of black on white and white on black destro date wheels for either the ETA 28XX movement or the Miyota 9015 through Massdrop? I'm assuming it would be quite an endeavor, but if there is enough demand I can't think of a better vendor to organize such a venture.
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PhilS
2
Jun 29, 2020
I have often though it would be a good idea for right handed people. With watches getting bigger you get a huge crown sticking into your wrist. I never use a chronograph so no need to touch anything but the bezel during the day, problem solved.
Gunnersmate2
1646
Oct 7, 2018
The more I think about it the more I want a destro. Since I've read this, everytime I put on my watch I think, how nice it would be to not have the crown and button pushers dig into my wrist. My next watch purchase will be a destro. And what a cool name , "Destro" Do you have any recommendations? I'm not particularly wealthy, monetarily speaking, but don't mind spending money on quality products. Especially products with great resale potential.
enkidu
313
Oct 8, 2018
Gunnersmate2The area of watches is one of those where the budget range is enormous. You can get quality at every price point from $200 to $20k (and above). In the sub-$500 range, there are a bunch on amazon if you search for left handed watch. In the next range, solid quality german-swims watches are available from Stowa and they should be able to assemble any date-less watch in destro configuration. If you're willing to go a bit higher, Sinn has some great watches also.
If it were me starting over with an all-around automatic watch, I'd get a Black Stowa Partitio assembled in destro formation. Even with shipping it should come out to less than $800. Good luck! https://www.stowa.de/en/Partitio+Klassik+black+handwinding.htm
Gunnersmate2
1646
Oct 8, 2018
enkiduThanks for your time. When (not if) I get one I'll be sure to post some pictures. Thanks again
OnePunchMan
330
Oct 1, 2018
my eyes hurt.
Gunnersmate2
1646
Sep 30, 2018
I am right handed and wear watches on my left and prefer the pushers and crown away from my wrist at the 9 o'clock side. I find that the buttons will get accidentally pushed throughout the day and the crown digs into my wrist. With the cheap watch in the picture I'm always having to readjust the month and secondary time because of this. https://massdrop-s3.imgix.net/img_comment/mWXuskb1SmGtRGd56gdl_15383290103768037944277386751193.jpgplus the crown digs into my skin so I don't wear this watch often. My next purchase will be a destro style
enkidu
313
Sep 30, 2018
Gunnersmate2Once you try it, you won't go back!
Drekje
18
Sep 29, 2018
I'm a lefty and I used to wear watches on my left arm, but like it was correctly argumented the crown tend to dig into your skin. Since the left being the dominant hand and doing the most work and flexing. Nowadays, I wear my watches on my right arm, it serves me atleast 2 benefits. One being, since the crown is side up and away from the wrist (bent), protecting my skin from the crown and pushers. Two, protecting the watch itself from damages; by wearing my watches on the hand I tend to use the least I'm consciously protecting them from being scratched, banged up and even desk diven. So, while I totally would love to own a watch specially made with lefties in mind, it is not really a necesity to me. But than again since we lefties are in the minority, we should support these kind of causes. So, let's make this happen ! (I migt just pick-up that beautiful new Sinn, just because I only have so-called righthander's watches. A lefty would be something to talk about having in my collection. I smell a waiting list subscription coming up)
RayF
22212
Jun 22, 2018
A left-handed person wears their watch on the right hand, such that the Crown or any Pushers can be operated with the left hand. Any other arrangement is barbaric!
TopSecretvid
1
Mar 12, 2018
It’s so the crown doesn’t get snagged while diving . Watches are meant to be worn on the left hand but people are obviously free to wear their watch however they choose.
pp_doc
0
Dec 31, 2017
Do you think the 2013 Tudor Heritage Chrono can be modified without repositioning the pins to destro since it uses an eta 289x movement with a DD module for the Chrono? Date is at 6 o'clock position. Thanks and Happy New Year!
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pp_doc
0
Jan 11, 2018
Hey enkidu thanks for the reply. Thought about the subdials as well. How about the Oris Carl Brashear with SW 200? Thanks
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enkidu
313
Jan 14, 2018
pp_docHey pp_doc, the SW200 is the same as the ETA 2824-2 so you should fine once you can find a date wheel for 6 o'clock window and 9 o'clock crown. Unfortunately, I have never seen such a beast. If you find one, please ping me and I'll go in with you for a couple extra :-).
mhaucke
1
Dec 5, 2017
I love destro watches and like them all the more because of the name (has a GI Joe vs Cobra ring to it for me). Always on the left wrist for me and I just like it for being different. I never adjust a watch while on my wrist anyway so I enjoy having crown (and pushers if applicable) on the forearm side as opposed to wrist side.
c0rnelius
1060
Oct 31, 2017
Tudor Pelagos LHD is out there now and very cool. https://www.tudorwatch.com/watches/pelagos/m25610tnl-0001
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